Thursday, December 14, 2017

Some sanctimonious BS from Bill May over marriage equality

William B. May

Bill May (Catholics for the Common Good Institute) is terribly distressed over events in Australia. So much so that he revisits the entire issue of same-sex marriage. The result is an email that reads like something from National Organization for Marriage circa 2012.

We wonder why people keep making the same arguments over and over to protect marriage, and expect a different result. In Australia, as in the United States before, the issue became a referendum on "same-sex marriage" and discrimination. There was never any intention of putting "same-sex marriage" in the law. In fact there is no such thing in any law in any country. Instead, the word "marriage" has been redefined to separate it from its reality.

I have no idea who the “we” are (other than May). However, the reason that people keep making the same idiotic arguments in opposition to marriage equality is the complete lack of a coherent secular argument to support the notion that same-sex marriage has any effect on so-called traditional marriage. As for realities, Mr. May is correct — if one's reality is constituted from the catechism of the Catholic Church rather than, well … reality.

Mr. May is incapable of grasping the simple fact that not all religions are in agreement with his and that the recognition of marriage is a civil issue. Houses of worship may solemnize a marriage but that is not required for the marriage to be recognized under law.

In case you thought that Mr. May would offer new or different arguments, behold:

Redefining marriage has been the main objective of those trying to destroy marriage and the family. Redefinition does much more than just permit same-sex couples to marry. It eliminates the only civil institution that unites children with their mother and father, and makes it discriminatory to promote the unique value of men and women marrying before having children, or marrying at all.

Yes, some people can marry in a form that the Catholic Church neither recognizes nor approves of. Yet, it is very important to proponents of marriage equality that marriage not be destroyed or redefined. Otherwise, what would be the point? Some prelate or, perhaps, Robert P. George concocted that “only civil institution … ” talking point nearly ten years ago. It did not make sense then and it hasn't improved with age. Nothing has been eliminated as Mr. May claims. It is an absurd assertion.

Most of the United States accepted marriage equality in the wake of the 2013 ruling in United States v. Windsor. By the time the Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges, two years later, only a handful of states were still discriminating against gay couples. Nearly five years since Windsornothing has changed other than the legal recognition of same-sex marriages.

Catholics are marrying just like they have done for centuries. They are cranking out the same kids and suing for the same divorces. The sky has not fallen and the world has not come to an end. Why is Mr. May still kvetching?

May attempts to explain:

We are watching as text books and curricula are being changed. Between that and social pressures, our children are forced to agree that diversity in family types, i.e. having more children deprived of their mother and father united in marriage, is a good thing. That's an obvious lie, as I have said many times.

So then denying a child being raised by a gay couple the right to have married parents is a good thing? The rest of the diatribe gets a yawn. Kids learn that there are many other religions too (gasp!). There are even those who do not accept Christ as their savior (oh my!). If they learn that some of their classmates are being raised by a married gay couple, so what? Idiotic parents are still free to instill in those kids the doctrine of disapproval.

What is happening in schools, through TV and the popular culture is not just an attack on marriage and family, but on the faith of our children.

No one is attacking anything or anyone else. These are not martyrs. Societies evolve and progress. The world is changing just as it has been changing since the dawn of time. Christianity represented a huge change. Initially every Christian was a Jew. That changed as the two began to fully separate. At one time Christian teachings consisted of geocentrism. The Copernican model changed our view of the entire universe. The world did not end.

More and more are leaving the Church because of conflicts with her teaching about sexuality, marriage and family, starting as early as 10 years old, according to a CARA study.

Mr. May has not provided a link but let us assume that his statement is entirely accurate and without nuance. Perhaps it is time for the Church to change. It has changed in many ways over the past 2,000 years or so. A bit more might do it some good while retaining more believers. Perverting reality by trying to teach people to disapprove of their own sons and daughters; brothers and sisters seems like a very bad idea.

In the end, perhaps Mr. May would prefer to complain about a done deal. Mr. May is a harness maker trying to stop the development of the automobile rather than adapting his skills to the new technology.